By Kevin Hanson
The Courier-Herald
Those who enjoy the Enumclaw swimming pool will find themselves high and dry for at least six weeks, as the city-owned facility undergoes a major improvement project.
After the public departs the pool tonight, Wednesday, staff will enjoy a final swim for the year, then begin draining the 246,000 gallons of water. Draining a pool slowly is easier on the facility, according to pool manager Tracy Alexander, who said it could take up to three days to get rid of all the water. The chlorinated contents will be funneled into the city collection system.
Current plans call for the pool to re-open the second week of January, but a definite date cannot yet be guaranteed, Alexander said.
The pool closure stems from the need for a new pool liner, Alexander said. The liner consists of the material covering the entire bottom of the pool and running up the side walls. It's a putty-like material that is rolled by workers, Alexander said. Before the new material in installed, she added, crews will chisel all spots that have cracked or bubbled from water seepage.
The last time the pool received such a facelift was in the 1990s. It has suffered noticeable wear and tear since, and was damaged during the last earthquake, Alexander added.
The city accepted a bid in the amount of $91,056 from Orca Pacific Inc., an Auburn company, to do the liner work - but that's only half the story. The bid was for a basic liner, but Orca offers an upgrade known as “Color Cortz,” an additive to the plaster liner that makes the liner more durable, gives it a better feel for pool users and greatly improves the look.
Alexander wanted the better product, but figured there was no chance after learning the Color Cortz option would run an additional $22,764. She negotiated with Orca owner Aaron Kimura, convincing him the Enumclaw project could be used as a model for others soon to be in need of liners. Additionally, Alexander agreed to help spread the word about Color Cortz in the regional pool community, where she's well-connected.
Eventually, Kimura agreed to absorb the cost of the additional labor and split the cost of the materials. For the city, that meant the additional cost of nearly $23,000 was reduced to $3,500.
Other work will be done at the pool while the facility is closed. Just as staff was planning for the closure, a 17-foot section of tiles running along the edge of the pool fell off and will need repair.
Additionally, staff is planning on sprucing the place up a bit, adding some paint in the pool area and cleaning up locker rooms. New lighting will be installed and Alexander hopes to have the moveable bulkhead resurfaced and repainted. While the pool is closed, staff will continue taking registrations for swim lessons.
Since the timeline for the liner work is uncertain, Alexander said pool users should wait until the end of December before contacting the pool about a re-opening date.
Kevin Hanson can be contacted at khanson@courierherald.com.
